Wire-stretcher.



J. B. MILLER.

WIRE STRETGHER APPLIGATION I'ILED FEB. s, 1013.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

U. E-MlLLER Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.,w,\smNu'roN. n. c.

J. E. MILLER.

WIRE STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEELS 191a Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gwuewcoz J. E.MILL ER\.

coLumnL PLANOGRAPM c0., WASHINGTON. 1) C4 JOHN E. MILLRBI, O13 CQFFEY, MISSQURI,

instead Specification o f Letters Patent.

Patented Dec, 9,1913.

Application filed FetruaryB, 1913. Serial No. 747,11?

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JOHN E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coffey, in the county of Daviess and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in VVire- Stretcher-s, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire stretchers and more particularly to a stretcher which is especially adapted for stretching woven wire, the object of the invention being to provide a stretcher of the above character which, while particularly adapted for stretching woven wire can be used equally as well for stretching various kinds of fence and line wires.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of the above character which will possess advantages in points of efficiency and durability, is inexpensive of manufacture and. at the same time is simple in construction and operation.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of one end of the casing; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the lower end of the operating lever; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional. view through the casing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the elongated casing or body member which is substantially rectangular in cross section and provided at one end with a reduced extension 2, the outer end of which is enlarged as shown at 3 and provided with a transverse opening t. A loop 5 is swiveled in the enlarged end 3 of the extension 2 and to which one end of the wire is adapted to be secured in any suitable manner. The end of the casing 1 opposite the extension 2 is bifurcated to form two spaced arms 6, upon the inner sides of which are pivotally mounted the link members 7. The outer ends of the link members 7 are pivotally mounted upon a transverse bolt 8 which extends through the inner end of the operating lever 9v Slidably mounted within the casing 1 is a rack bar 10 which is provided at its outer end with a loop 11 which is swiveled therein and to which the end of the wire is adapted to be secured. The rack bar 10 is actuated by having the tapering point 12 of the lever 9 engaging with the teeth on the bar, said point 12 being provided with a wear plate 13 whereby the wear of the frictional engagement between the teeth 011 the rack and the pointed end 12 may be compensated for, it being understood that a new plate may be readily substituted when the old one be comes worn. The upper face of the casing 1 is provided adjacent one end with the alined openings 14: in which are pivotally mounted the pawls 15, the lower ends of said pawls engaging with the teeth on the rack bar 10 to prevent backward movement thereof. Coil springs 1e are provided, one end of which is secured to the pawls and the other end secured to the casing, whereby the pawls will be held into engagement with the rack bar.

Secured to the upper ends of the pawls are the chains 17, the other ends of said chains being threaded through the guide loops 18 which are mounted upon the cars ing and the lever 9, the outer ends of said chains being provided with suitable finger loops 19 whereby the pawls may be readily actuated to release the rack bar 10. From this it will be seen that in the operation of my improved wire stretcher, the ends of the wires may be secured in any suitable manner to the loops 5 and 11. The rack bar 10 is then actuated by the reciprocation of the lever 9, the pointed end 12 of the lever engaging the teeth of the rack bar to move the same longitudinally within the casing 1. Upon the longitudinal movement of the rack bar within the casing, the pivoted pawls 15 will engage the racl: bar to prevent backward movement thcreof. It will be apparent from the drawings, that the pawls are so arranged that while one of them is engaged with one of the teeth on the rack bar, the other is out of engagement. Thus the backward movement of the rack, which otherwise would move backward the entire length of one of the teeth is eliminated, so that the movement of the rack bar will be equivalent to one-half the length of one of the teeth.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it

will be readily apparent that I have provided a simple and durable wire stretcher whereby woven or single fence wires or lines may be readily stretched to the desired position. It will also be apparent that the device in itself is extremely simple in construction and can be manufactured at a com paratively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice without sacrificing any of the novel features or departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is A device of the character described including a body member having wire engaging means, a rack movable longitudinally relatively to the body member and having wire engaging means, link members pivotally engaging the body member, an actuating lever pivotally held between the outer ends of said links and having its inner end engageable with the rack to impart movement thereto in one direction, a plurality of upwardly directed pawls pivotally supported intermediate their lengths by the body member and alternately engageable with the rack to prevent retrograde movement thereof, flexible members each having one end connected to the outer end of one of said pawls, loops on the body member through which the flexible members are directed, loops on the lever member above the links through which the flexible members are directed after being passed through the loops of the body member, and means carried by the flexible members whereby the same are prevented from being released from the loops of the lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN E. MILLER. Witnesses:

T. N. FOSTER, JAMES R. FAULKNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

